The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-05-27

With g1ea, a minute after, as r saw a Con-
federate officer reel In his saddle and tumble.
"The oddly uniformed line opposite, in which
butternut was a conspicuous color, showed
signs Of giving way. Just then our standard
bearer, who was in advance, was struck and
fell A fresh Confederate force had been
ordered up 10 relieve the troops we had been
fighting, and bore down upon us in such
numbers that we were ordered TO withdraw
slowly, our faces 20 the foe. A dozen mem
bers Of our regiment had hurried forward TO
rescue the flag, which had already been torn
from the staff by one of the enemy, q fine
looking fellow, an officer plainly, and which
he thrust into the breast of his coat I
marked his countenance and figure. was
sure that l should remember him. What
pleasure should have taken in killing him,
in order to recover the colors of the regiment,
which felt it such disgrace to lose in one
Of the first real battles of the war
"But there was no chance Of recapturing It.
We steadily fell back, and were soon relieved
by fresh troops. Our regiment had lost
heavily. Out Of 600 or so, one quarter were
killed, wounded and missing, and the remain
der were In no condition for further fighting
at once. / still mourned over the captured
flag During the first year Of the strife we
soldiers, you remember, thought the loss of a
stand of colors rs bad as a general defeat, and
we never altered our opinion greatly after
ward either. II may be superstition, but 1T is
a patriotic superstition that every true soldier
is inclined to cherish. The flag of country
represents our highest interest.
~ could not bear to be off duty on that day.
AS soon as l had quenched my excessive
thirst in pool of dirty WATER where score
of men were half frantic and fighting for
drink, l went to Gen. Lyon and offered my
service TO act as one of his aides. He ac-
cepted it, and giving me horse sent me with
an order TO n distant part of the field. de-
livered the order, but in doing so bullet after
bullet whistled near me, one of the bullets
passing through the skirt of my coat. I
already began to imagine that might be
destined not to be struCk-constant danger
makes us fatalists-and / galloped along to
the music of the guns, fancying myself in
feverish dream. To be beyond the sound of
cries and groans, the sight of blood and
wounds was n great relief.
al seemed TO be only m danger myself, and
Of that danger was almost unconscious. l
was in q part of the field away from the
battle, riding fast to where l supposed Gen.
Lyon to be, when my horse reared as If In
pain. | believed that he must be mortally
wounded by a stray shot. l disengaged my
feet from the stirrups, and just in time, for
felt that he was falling tumbed headlong-
| could not save myself-and then was un-
| conscious. How long l remained so / cannot
| tell. | arose with senses dazed, but the din
of battle, the sight of DUST, powder and smoke
restored me. Ny horse lay dead few feet
distant, the blood still flowing from his side,
caused apparently by grape shot. No
| one seemed near me, and l was walk
| ing away somewhat lame, when voice, say
| ing Surrender, you id Yankee or I'll blow
| your brains outr drew my attention. Out of
cluster of trees had stepped Confederate
officer, whom glance disclosed as the captor
| of our colors. To allay any doubt, if there
could be doubt, the sillen end of the stripes
was still visible in the breast Of his coat. He
was coming toward me with a revolver
leveled at my head, perhaps fifty feet off.
He doubtless believed me unarmed but
reached instinctively toward my belt and
drew my pistol, which had happily been un-
injured by my fall.
"'Never,' shouted. you have taken the
colors of my regiment. I'll get them back OF
| die
"'Die thenr he responded, and a bullet
whizzed past me.